Senior Wellness

Preventive Care: Senior Wellness

Our goal at Village Veterinary Practice is to provide the very best care throughout your pet’s life. This is especially important as your pet enters into his or her senior years. Dogs and cats age more rapidly than people do, with the last 5 years of their life equaling 40 years of human aging. Therefore, it is important to understand how the aging process may be affecting your pet. Cats and dogs weighing less than fifty pounds are considered senior patients at seven years of age. Dogs greater than fifty pounds are seniors at age five.

The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners indicates that a senior patient benefits from twice-yearly examinations. Similar to humans, senior animals start to develop diseases such as diabetes, cataracts, arthritis, hypothyroidism and cancer. These diseases can go unnoticed in their early stages and many will develop rapidly, making regular monitoring and blood testing very important.

Your senior pet should be examined every six months and will be coordinated with his/her vaccination schedule. During your pet’s senior visit, we will perform a comprehensive physical exam, weigh and assess body condition, and specifically discuss senior associated problems and diseases. We may also recommend performing a complete metabolic blood panel, complete urinalysis, monitor blood pressure, and screen for glaucoma. The goals of our senior wellness program are to:

Prevent or delay the onset of disease.

Identify and address existing problems as early as possible.

Maintain body weight and condition.

Maintain excellent quality of life.

These are signs that should be reported to us immediately, before they become serious:

Altered sleeping patterns

Bad breath, red/swollen gums

Changes in bowel movements

Changing behavior or activity level

Changing hair coat or skin

Confusion/Disorientation

Coughing

Difficulty climbing stairs

Difficulty jumping

Excessive panting

House training accidents

Increased/Decreased appetite

Increased/Decreased urination

Increased/Decreased water intake

Interacting less often with family

Less enthusiastic

New lumps or bumps

Noticeably gaining or losing weight

Scratching more often

Stiffness or limping

Tremors or shaking

Wouldn’t it be nice if your pet could talk to you and tell you how he/she was feeling? Since that’s not the case, your observations are an essential part in keeping your pet well. To prepare for your pet’s visit, feel free to complete this questionnaire and and submit it to us when you’re done. If you don’t have time to fill it out, don’t worry, we’ll ask these questions during the appointment!